A study of art students found that long-term creative success was predicted not by skill or confidence, but by the tendency to spend more time exploring objects and defining the "problem" of their drawing. True creativity emerges from deeply understanding the situation itself before attempting a solution.
Breakthroughs aren't radical inventions but small, crucial tweaks to existing concepts. Focusing too much on originality is counterproductive. The most successful ideas combine a familiar foundation with a unique twist that makes it feel new and exciting, like making a conventional dish but adding a special spice.
People mistakenly believe their creativity drops off sharply after an initial burst, a phenomenon called the "creative cliff illusion." Research shows the opposite: idea generation and quality actually increase the longer you brainstorm. Pushing past the perceived mental block is where the best ideas are found.
Focusing on a deep-seated problem, rather than a specific solution, keeps a startup on track. It makes the company's story more compelling to users and investors (e.g., "avoid traffic jams" vs. "AI navigation system") and provides a constant benchmark for progress, dramatically increasing the likelihood of success.
When a startup fails due to team issues, the root cause isn't the underperforming employee. It's the CEO's inability to make the hard, swift decision to fire them. The entire team knows who isn't a fit, and the leader's inaction demotivates and ultimately drives away top performers.
Thirty days after a new person starts, ask: "Knowing what I know today, would I hire this person?" If the answer is yes, praise them. If the answer is no, fire them immediately. This forces a decisive action before a bad fit can damage team morale, as everyone else already knows they aren't a fit.